Written for the Rodney/Teyla thing-a-thon at LiveJournal community "Sticks and Snark" , for "tigs" who requested "off-world, banter, happy".
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Vertical
They progressed at a slow pace to the first ledge, his quiet groans and her quick breathing mingling with the sound of trickling water below. Teyla paused when she felt a tug on her calf, and half-turned to look back at him.
"Okay. There is no way that I'm going to be able to get to the top," Rodney declared in between heavy gulps of air.
"Why not?"
"Because I may be many, many things, but I am not a rock-climber. Not to mention the fact that even if I was, this thing gets pretty steep from here. Why can't we just wait at the bottom? Sheppard will have some rope or something in the Jumper that we can use to get back up."
Teyla took a deep breath before answering, wondering how many times they would have this conversation before they reached the top of the cliff. She suspected by the tone of his voice that he had no real qualms about his body giving way. "And if the Wraith should return before the Colonel and Ronon? There is nowhere to hide from them in the ravine. They have beaming technology; we do not." Her voice softened. "How is your ankle?"
"Still excruciatingly painful," he muttered as he turned away from the wall. He peered down over his shoulder cautiously before turning back to her and swallowing. "Are you sure that we couldn't just wait at the bottom? Sheppard did say that he would come back right away, and the Wraith followed them back to the Gate so they probably don't know that we're still here. And is it me or is it getting hotter..."
His voice trailed away as she wiped her sweaty palm on her thigh.
"Rodney, if you are truly in pain then we can return to the ravine. But we will be 'sitting ducks', as the Colonel put it, should the Wraith return."
He sighed before closing his eyes and nodding slowly. "Okay. Onwards and upwards. But I'm holding you personally responsible if I fall again. Gravity is one law of physics that isn't kind to anyone."
"Perhaps you could remind me of the laws of physics, Rodney." Cautiously, Teyla planted her foot higher, leaning forward gently to test its strength before shifting all of her weight.
"What? Why?" He groaned as he lifted himself onto the edge that she had just vacated. "Oh wait, are you trying to get me talking to distract me from the obvious peril that I happen to be in?"
"Would it work?" she said with a smile.
"Worth a try, I suppose." He watched as she hoisted herself up onto a ledge before shuffling aside to make room for him.
"Okay," he mumbled as he joined her. "Newton was the first to describe universal gravity. Supposedly, it was a falling apple from a tree in his mother's garden that instigated the revelation -"
He broke off with a yelp as a small section of rock crumbled away beneath his injured foot. Teyla reached out for him, clutching his wrist as he scrambled to a higher and stronger section of the cliff wall.
"Rodney?"
"I'm okay," he replied breathlessly. She squeezed his wrist gently and received a weak smile in return.
"We are almost half way. Perhaps you should lead so that you can dictate the pace. The surface above is rougher, more pronounced, and it should be easier from here. "
"Right." He nodded but remained still.
"Rodney?"
"Oh, yes, of course." Gingerly, he raised his foot and placed it hesitantly on the ledge in front of him. Slowly, he hoisted himself up.
"And did this Newton describe anything else of interest?" Teyla called out as she followed his example.
"Yes, he erm..." he paused as he tested another section of the wall towards his right before shuffling across to it. "He stated the three laws of motion too."
"And they are?"
She listened with a smile as he spoke, knowing that the fluency of his speech indicated that the pain in his sprained ankle had lessened. She noted that they had managed to reach the halfway point before he paused again.
"So, this Newton is renowned for his findings?"
"Well, yes, but they all fall under the category of classical mechanics. Since then we've discovered their limitations, and of course the field of quantum mechanics has exploded. And obviously the things that we've learnt since the Stargate program was introduced have really opened our eyes."
He paused as the protrusion he had been testing fell away beneath him. Cautiously, he shifted his weight onto a larger ledge before continuing.
"I mean, we all thought that quantum tunnelling was just a theory before -" he broke off as more rock crumbled beneath his hands. Teyla closed her eyes in protest as she was showered with rubble.
"Okay, I've had enough." Peering over his shoulder, Rodney swallowed hard. "We could make it back down," he continued unconvincingly.
"Rodney," she replied gently. "We are closer to the cliff top than the ground now. It would be a shame to waste all the effort that we have both put in to reach this point. Not to mention, or course, that we would be in full view of any Wraith Darts that happen to return..."
She hid a smile as he groaned and nodded slowly.
"Fine, fine. There's nothing like the threat of having the life sucked out of me to spur me on."
Teyla tilted her head back and cast her gaze upward. She knew that they were even more exposed on the side of the cliff than they were in the ravine, but that the top would provide shelter in the trees should the Wraith return in Darts. It would also eliminate the time that John and Ronon would have to spend hauling them up if they had chosen to remain at the bottom.
"So, you want to hear about Einstein and general relativity?"
She couldn't resist teasing him and answered with an exaggerated sigh. "If I must."
He was still speaking as he hauled himself over the top, pausing briefly to groan as the sharp rock dug into his abdomen. She glanced at the crumbling stone that disappeared as his feet scrambled against the wall to give him enough power to get over the edge, and decided to progress straight ahead rather than follow in his steps as she had been doing thus far.
"You okay there?" he called back.
"Yes, I -" Teyla cried out as she felt the section of wall beneath her give way, clinging to the rock between her spread fingers as her feet struggled to find a grip. She became aware of the light dimming above her as Rodney leaned over the edge and wrapped a hand tightly around her forearm.
"Looks like you could do with a hand," he muttered. He groaned loudly as he hauled her over the top. Her momentum as well as his thrust him backward, and he landed on the grass heavily with Teyla on top of him.
"Rodney?"
"I'm okay. You?"
"I am fine."
"Good."
Dimly, she became aware of the tight grip of his hands on her waist, but waited until her breathing slowed before raising her head to look at him. She couldn't help but smile at his closed eyes and the way he shifted comfortably against her. "We should move out of the clearing. We can be seen easily from the air here."
She watched as Rodney opened his eyes, his expression startled as his gaze drifted beyond her shoulder and a shadow formed over them. Turning her head slightly, Teyla looked up to see the hovering Jumper as a voice filtered through their earpieces.
"You know, if you two just wanted some time alone, all you had to do was ask. I mean, having us chased by the Wraith, falling into a ravine – it's all a bit elaborate, even for you, Rodney."
She felt Rodney snort against her cheek as she turned to face him again.
"Hilarious. Are you going to land that thing any time soon and let us get off this pathetic excuse for a habitable planet?"
She could hear the amusement in John's voice as he replied. "Sure. I'll park on the other side of those trees. See you in a couple of minutes."
Rodney merely grunted his reply, watching as the Jumper moved through the air above them and Teyla lifted herself onto her knees in front of him.
"Thank you," she said with a smile. "And thank you for the...stimulating conversation."
He chuckled as he sat up, leaning on one palm as he raised the other hand to brush the hair from her eyes. "You're welcome. But there'll be a test first thing tomorrow in my lab."
Teyla laughed quietly as she got to her feet and held out a hand for him. "And if I should fail?"
He rose gingerly with her help, wincing as he carefully shifted his weight from the injured ankle. "You won't," he said confidently. "You've been taught by the best."
She laughed as she moved to his side, wrapping her arm around his waist as he leant on her. Slowly, they made their way to the trees and their waiting team mates.